The Social Security (Northern Ireland) Order 1998

Regulations with respect to decisions

12.—(1) Subject to the provisions of this Chapter and the Administration Act, provision may be made by regulations for the making of any decision by the Department under or in connection with the current legislation, or the former legislation, including a decision on a claim for benefit.

(2) Where it appears to the Department that a matter before it involves a question of fact requiring special expertise, the Department may direct that in dealing with that matter it shall have the assistance of one or more experts.

(3) In this Article—

“the current legislation” means the Contributions and Benefits Act, the Jobseekers Order and the Recovery of Benefits Order;

“expert” means a person appearing to the Department to have knowledge or experience which would be relevant in determining the question of fact requiring special expertise;

“the former legislation” means the National Insurance Acts (Northern Ireland) 1966 to 1974, the National Insurance (Industrial Injuries) Acts (Northern Ireland) 1966 to 1974, the [1975 c. 15.] Social Security (Northern Ireland) Act 1975 and Part III of the [1986 NI 18.] Social Security (Northern Ireland) Order 1986.